William g



W. G. CREAMER.

' Car Brake.

Patented Nov. 4. 1856.

NJETERS, FHOTO-UTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. CREAMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILROAD-CAR BRAKE.

Specification ofLetters Patent No. 16,004, dated November 4, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. OREAMER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful improvements in the manner of connecting, accumulating, retaining, and applying reserved power for the application of railroad-car brakes in sudden emergencies; and I do hereby declare that the followin is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The use of reserved power for closing brakes of cars is not new in itself and I do not claim it as such. But the nature of my invention consists in the peculiar manner of connecting accumulating retaining and applying the reserved power and its intimate identity with the existing mechanism for applying brakes and means of communication with the engine as used on all eight wheel cars in the United States.

Another very important feature of my apparatus is that not only can the engineer apply the reserved power from the engine but by its combination with the bell cord of the train the brakes can be simultaneously applied by the conductor or brakeman at any intermediate point on the train. This would be of immense value in case of a wheel or axle breaking or an accidental separation of the train in which latter case the brakes are applied automatically by the act of separation.

The manner of retaining and disengaging the reserved power is another very important feature of my invention as shown by the model or sample sent with this application. The nature of this part of my invention which was only discovered after much study and experiment is a device for holding the accumulation of power tooth by tooth and at the same time when it is disengaged it cannot by any possibility drop in gear while the spring was in the act of running down.

Having thus set forth as fully as possible the nature, object, and purposes of my invention and to enable others skilled in the arts to make and use it I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

To any ordinary eight wheel car having a platform and vertical brake shaft I supported by two posts A A Figure 1 and top rail B, I attach to the two posts a bracket moving.

O O and cross bar D. To this I attach a drum E, containing a strong spiral spring. At the bottom of the drum is a circle of ratchet teeth F F F. On the top of the drum is placed the cap G Fig. 4 containing a circle of ratchet teeth H H. On the brake shaft I is secured an arm O Fig. 5 with a pawl K playing into the last named circle of ratchet teeth H H on the top cap G. On the cross bar D is'a jointed pawl L with a spiral wire spring on the stud or hearing O pressing it against the teeth, F F F of the drum E. The joint of this pawl when against the drum is about l; inch inside the line of bearing from the point of the pawl and the stud O. This with the spring bearing against it makes the pawl perfectly rigid for holding the drum tooth by tooth as the spring is taken up. On the back of this jointed pawl is a projection or arm M. Over the top is a lever N to which a branch line P attaches leading to the bell or signal cord of the train as shown at Figs. 1 and 2. There is also at the bearing of the pawl a handle for convenience in turning out the point to reset it after it is let off which operation doubles the joint as shown by the dotted lines.

The component parts of the apparatus are cast and wrought iron and the spring is hard rolled sheet brass.

Having thus described the various parts of the apparatus and now supposing it all complete as shown at Fig. 1 its operation will be as follows: As soon as the train is made up and leaves the station the brakeman will connect the branch line P to the main signal cord. He will then wind up the spring by turning the hand wheel P P from left to right the pawl K being down and taking into the teeth H H will revolve the drum the same way as the hand wheel is The jointed panel L being in its place as shown at Fig. 3 will hold thedrum as it is taken up by continuing this movement the spring or pulley will be wound up. The apparatus is now complete and ready for action if required. The train is approaching a station the engineman whistles down brakes, the brakeman takes hold of the hand wheel P P and turns it from right against the wheels. The train stops. The engineman whistles to start. He gives the necessary signal. The brakeman takes hold of the hand wheel and turns sufficient to ease the pawl K which he throws over and allows the brake to release from the wheels. The reserved power has not been touched as yet. Now another case the train is moving on at its usual speed. He suddenly sees some obstruction. He instinctively puffs the steam whistle and the next instant pulls the signal cord which pulls the branch line P in all the cars releasing the reserved power and instantly applying the brakes. The brakeman may have taken hold of the wheel P P and given it a partial turn but the pulling of the branch line P disengaging the pawl L instantly finishes the operation. The manner of its operation by the pulling of the branch line P is as follows: The line P being pulled upward the lever N is raised which draws the 'joint of the pawl outward from the line of bearing the pressure of the drum E against the point of the pawl immediately throws it in position shown by the dottedlines. The branch line has also disengaged allowing them all to release whether the train is on an up or downgrade. I have thus de scribed the construction of my apparatus and will now state the precise parts I claim as my invention first disclaiming those parts which may seem to be coincident with exist-ing devices.

I disclaim generally any and all plans of reserved power for closing brakes in cases of emergency that is not identified and in direct combination with the apparatus that is used for ordinary cases and if used from the engine that is not in combination with the usual bell or signal cord of the train.

I do not claim directly or indirectly the use of weights or springs for closing brakes nor as a reserved power nor do I claim any powerful attachment to any one car by the brake shaft and transmitting its power from car to car by means of chains levers pulleys &c., as invented by Cranford even considering it as a reserved power. I claim no apparatus whatever involving a connec- %on of brakes from one car to the other.

I do claim generally as my invention 1. The attachment of a reserved power for applying the brakes in sudden emergencies connected to and identified with the present brake shaft as used on eight wheel platform cars and operating in combination with the common bell or signal cord of the train.

2. I claim the combination of the cross bar D with the spring drum E and circles of ratchet teeth F and H operating in connection with the vertical brake shaft I or the equivalent of a loose pulley withadouble circle of ratchet teeth arranged in the same way but actuated by a weight or spring op erating as described and for the purposes mentioned.

3. I claim also the combination of the jointed pawl L M and disconnecting lever N with the drum E as specified for retaining and disengaging the reserved power when required while the brakes are being operated by hand if necessary.

WILLIAM G. CREAMER.

Witnesses:

WVM. H. RIBLET, HENRY C. ELY. 

